NEWS

BLM CANCELS THOMPSON DIVIDE LEASES
Glenwood Springs—25 oil and gas leases in the Thompson Divide have been canceled by the Bureau of Land Management putting an end to a long, bitter feud between the energy industry and local conservationists. The area, straddling several counties including Garfield, Pitkin and Gunnison, has been the focus of lobbying groups and communities that rely on income from the outdoor recreation industry. Ursa Operating Company and SG Interests were both seeking a new government review of the leases in the White River National Forest. The push from the industry came after a new study from the US Geological Survey revealed there was a much greater supply of natural gas on the western slope than previously believed.